By Zac Humphrey CHICAGO, Illinois: Illinois Democrats and Republicans saw completely different outcomes when polls closed for the 2nd congressional district special election primary. With over 50% of the vote, Robin Kelly (D) advanced to the general election on April 9, 2013. Republicans Paul McKinley, Eric Wallace, and Lenny McAllister split the vote and no [...]

February 14, 2013 U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley By Greg Janetka DES MOINES, Iowa: On February 7, Democratic Congressman Bruce Braley became the first to officially announce his candidacy for Tom Harkin‘s U.S. Senate seat in 2014. Harkin (D) announced last month that he would not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate once his current term expires. Upon his retirement, he will have [...]

February 10, 2013 By: George Sousouris BOSTON, Massachusetts: Since announcing that he would not run in the special election to replace new Secretary of State John Kerry (D), Republicans have started a long and difficult search to find a replacement for former Senator Scott Brown, once thought to be a potential frontrunner. Thus far only one Republican has officially declared his [...]

January 31, 2013 U.S. Senator Tom Harkin By Greg Janetka CUMMING, Iowa: On Saturday, Tom Harkin (D) announced that he would not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate once his current term expires. Upon his retirement, he will have served in the U.S. Senate for 30 years. Prior to this, he served in the U.S. House for ten years. Harkin was first [...]

January 30, 2013 By George Sousouris Lexington, KENTUCKY: To the delight of many local officials across the state, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has endorsed an amendment to the state constitution that would allow the creation of local-option sales taxes, something municipalities have been clamoring for as a way to fund city and county projects. Of the proposal, Louisville Mayor Greg [...]

January 30, 2013 By: George Sousouris BOSTON, Massachusetts: Governor Deval Patrick (D) has appointed William “Mo” Cowan to fill the seat being vacated by recently confirmed Secretary of State John Kerry (D). Cowan, Patrick’s former chief of staff, will hold the seat for the next five months until a special election is held to fill the seat this summer.[1] In his announcement, the Governor [...]

January 29, 2013 By Ballotpedia’s Congressional team MADISON, Wisconsin: After the 2012 elections, groups across the country placed strong correlation between the Republicans maintaining control of the U.S. House and the gerrymandering of districts following the 2010 Census. A memo from GOP leadership as well as news stories and blogs attributed the Republican majority in the House to a choreographed effort to [...]

January 28, 2013 By Joel Williams Jefferson City, Missouri: Jo Ann Emerson (R) of Missouri’s 8th congressional district resigned from Congress on January 22 to become CEO of National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, a national group representing rural electric cooperatives. She announced he resignation in December, less than a month after winning re-election. Prior to her election in 1996, Emerson’s late [...]

January 28, 2013 By Joel Williams Atlanta, Georgia: Current Senator Saxby Chambliss announced that he would not seek re-election on January 25. Chambliss, who first won election in 2002, was expected to face primary opposition in the 2014 election. Chambliss cited issues with Congress as his reason for resigning, not the potential primary challenge. “This is about frustration, both at a lack [...]

January 15, 2013 By Phil Sletten CHARLESTON, West Virginia: United States Senator Jay Rockefeller (D), who has been in the Senate since 1984, announced that he will not seek re-election in 2014.[1]Rockefeller is 75 years old and currently serving his fifth term.[2] Rockefeller announced his intentions at a mid-morning Friday news conference, pointing to his success in avoiding a national coal miner’s [...]